In some communications networks when there are no routes to a given endpoint (e.g. a host having a given IP address) due to a failure of the endpoint, or the endpoint being offline, an Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) message is returned notifying a source (e.g. a communications/computing device) that the endpoint/host is unavailable. However, in a secure environment, ICMP messages are generally disabled to prevent (for example) denial of service attacks on the source. Even if ICMP messages are transmitted, in secure environments ICMP packets are generally filtered by firewalls. Hence the source is unable to determine why the destination is not responding. In some situations the data can be resent, and/or response request packets (pings) can be transmitted, a given number of times before assuming that the destination is unavailable. These extra sends and/or pings in a wireless environment causes additional load on a wireless network, reduces battery life in a mobile electronic device and provides an overall poor experience due to delays in data transmission.